Practice Research and Service User Perspectives

2020/2021

Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

The module is connected closely to modules ‘Problem based learning (15 ECTS) and ‘Field Study (5 ECTS). Although divided into three modules the three modules will be overlapping as ‘Practice Research and Service User Perspectives’ will be the focus of the Field Study and the PBL-project.

The module is divided into different subjects:

Practice Research and knowledge production:

  • What is practice in social work
  • How is it possible to establish learning- and knowledge production processes in social work practice/ within welfare professions
  • What is Practice Research?
  • Possibilities and barriers in Practice Research – learning processes/development and research, different interests, different forms of knowledge and experiences and negotiation as a tool in practice research
  • Practice research connected to different scientific and methodological approaches –evidence based social work, traditional scientific approaches/methods.
  • Examples of and experience from practice research
  • Service Users and social work in a critical perspective:
    - what is a service user
    - from victim to user?
    - the modern power perspective?
  • Concepts and notions in service user perspectives – involvement, participation, democratic processes/strategies
  • Service users in social work (practice) research
  • The connection between practice research and service user perspectives
  • Seminar discussion on issues connected to producing a practice research design

Learning objectives

Knowledge

  • about practice research theories, methodologies and processes
  • about service user perspectives and how to integrate these in social work and practice research processes
  • about possibilities and barriers in service user perspectives in welfare institutions

Skills

  • to identify, analyze and understand how practice research and service user perspectives are at work and constitute complex dynamics within social work and welfare practice
  • to demonstrate analytical knowledge in collaboration with different stakeholders in social work

Competences

  • cterized by a complexity
  • to reflect theoretically, methodologically and ethically in correlation with practice research processes and service user approaches
  • to utilize user perspectives and practice research as driving forces
  • to take responsibility for one’s own learning processes and outcome

Type of instruction

Lectures

Extent and expected workload

10 ECTS

Exam

Exams

Name of examPractice Research og Service User Perspektiver
Type of exam
Written exam
On the basis of both lectures and common discussions of chosen subjects, students
individually produce a design for a practice research based research/investigation. The design is expected to be connected to the focus in the Field Study and the upcoming PBL-project.

Students will be marked individually.
ECTS10
Assessment7-point grading scale
Type of gradingInternal examination
Criteria of assessmentThe criteria of assessment are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures

Facts about the module

Danish titlePractice Research og Service User Perspektiver
Module codeSAC110003D
Module typeCourse
Duration1 semester
SemesterAutumn
ECTS10
Language of instructionEnglish
Location of the lectureCampus Aalborg
Responsible for the module

Organisation

Study BoardStudy Board of MSc in Social Work
DepartmentDepartment of Sociology and Social Work
FacultyThe Faculty of Social Sciences